[Infantile spasms in children under 1-year-old].

In the period of 1977 to 1982, 72 children suffering from infantile spasms and aged 10 days to 12 months were observed. Studies of the neurologic status over time were supplemented with echoencephalography, diaphanoscopy, cranial roentgenography and ophthalmoscopic examination. Furthermore, 58 children were subjected to electro-encephalographic investigations. The clinical findings and data provided by additional methods were evaluated over time, i.e., prior to, during and after the course of treatment. An analysis is presented of the results of corticosteroid therapy of two groups of patients: 1) "idiopathic"-where the medical history showed no previous nervous system impairments prior to the development of the spasms; 2) patients with a history of various damaging factors (pregnancy pathology in the mother, new-born asphyxia, intracranial birth injury, intrauterine infection, neuroinfection in the early postnatal period, etc.). The clinical picture of infantile spasms is extensively described. Before the initiation of hormonal therapy, the patients received anticonvulsive drugs for 1-10 months. The use of ACTH, synacthen and hydrocortisone proved to be fairly effective provided the treatment is instituted early. Possible mechanisms of the action of hormonal drugs are analyzed.